


what life looked like

by Kaynara, rib14



Category: Friends at the Table (Podcast)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Gen, Mixed Written Media, Social Media
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-01
Updated: 2018-03-01
Packaged: 2019-03-17 15:53:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,346
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13662261
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kaynara/pseuds/Kaynara, https://archiveofourown.org/users/rib14/pseuds/rib14
Summary: From the archives of Memorious: Incomplete writings of the Golden Branch Sector and its people, from the formation of the Chime and beyond.





	what life looked like

**Three suspects wanted for questioning after sensitive data stolen from Minerva Mining and Mechanics**

    _Jamil Quartz-Noble, Freelance Counterweight Correspondent_

Security forces currently looking into a breach at Minerva’s Counterweight facility last week have released images of the incident today, hoping to enlist members of the public in tracking down the people in the photos.

The pictures, recovered from security cameras that were running before the system unexpectedly went down, show three armed figures preparing to enter the building. Authorities believe one member of the group may be Apostolosian, though they state that a definite connection to the extremist cell The Netted Wave cannot be proven at this time.

According to an inside source, the information stolen includes employee data and upcoming product blueprints. The precise motives behind the actions are unclear but are almost certainly corporately driven, perhaps even privately backed by a competitor.

The public is advised that the three are armed and willing to commit violence, as one Minerva employee remains in critical condition and three others are being treated for minor injuries after an altercation with the criminals.

Anonymous reports suggest a robot model may have accompanied the three, though no official confirmation has so far been given.

It is unclear whether this group is connected to the recent uptick in criminal activity on Counterweight. This event marks the third time this month that Minerva has been targeted, leading to sharp stock drops.

Should you have information that may lead to the apprehension of any of the group members, please contact Montgomery Octave, head security chief of Minerva Mining and Mechanics, Counterweight branch.

 

* * *

 

WEIGHTLESS_UPDATE.SMP3

God, I can’t believe they’re making me do this one. Said it’s because I have ‘more experience’ with the subject which is just bullshit… don’t they want an objective report? Whatever. This is an update report and notice of a heightened surveillance level for the group known as the Weightless. The Weightless is a mercenary group on Counterweight, led by Tea Kenridge. Te- Kenridge was the Queen Captain of the Queen’s Gambit back when I was part of the Joint OriCon/Diaspora Task Force. She was dishonorably discharged from the OriCon military and the Gambit was disbanded after the… events that concluded that mission. She then started the Weightless with some other former members of the Queen’s Gambit, including Shell Lotz, Arlie Departure, and Mode Mccarty. They’ve mostly flown surprisingly under the radar, but we are upping the surveillance on them after they were hired by Snowtrak Synergies to kidnap Cene Sixheart, a drone engineer formerly of Liberty & Discovery Automatic Corp, at the new BluSky Dome, days before its official opening. So, that’s what you need to know. Attached are some files with the schematics of their mechs and profiles on each known member. Addax Dawn, agent of the Rapid Evening, signing off.

 

* * *

 

**My Top 4 Propaganda Pieces Of The Golden War**

Jesse Parameter, Media Correspondent

As the 10 year anniversary of the end of the Golden War is almost upon us, I think it is finally time to review the early works of propaganda (I mean art, sorry EarthHome) from the days of the Golden War. I’ve gone deep into some long-forgotten pockets of the mesh and I’ve got the dirt on everybody: the Diaspora, Apostolos, and OriCon, and I’ve narrowed the list down to my absolute favorites. Without further ado, let’s begin.

**#1: Apostolosian Army Propaganda Videos**

You know Cassander Timaeus Berenice, Scion of Apostolos? Maybe? Well, currently there are reports that they might work with a group of criminals (or as they like to call themselves, “a group of independent problem solvers”) on Counterweight known as the Chime. But before that, they were a prince and a soldier in the Golden War. Or at least they played one on TV. I couldn’t find a ton of footage of old Apostolosian propaganda featuring the now forsaken prince, but the [ stuff I found ](http://.) is good, let me tell you. For those who don’t have the time to watch it yourselves, which is what I recommend, these clips feature: 1. The worst special effects I have ever seen, including a fake city that I assume must be an artist’s interpretation of Atlantis transposed on top of footage of an Apostolosian army, 2. An enemy “divine” that looked like a slightly bigger version of an Automated Dynamics unit (you know, the ones from back in the day that would park your car at a mall?), and 3. A moment where Scion Cassander looks at the camera and winks. I added that last one in because, damn, even with all that god-awful editing, they’re still kinda hot, and if you’re reading this, Cassander, hit me up.

**#2: Rook Advertisements**

Everyone in the Golden Branch Star Sector nowadays knows that if you’re talking about riggers, you’re probably talking about the Minerva Rook™, but there was a time, at the beginning of the Golden War, when that was not the case. Check out  this video of some real Minerva employees explaining all the new features of the Rook. I guess I respect that they didn’t use actors, but they could’ve at least found _one_ engineer in their retinue who could say “we’re gonna kick some Apostolosian butt” semi-convincingly. But hey, it seems to have worked out fine for Minerva in the long-run, so who am I to judge? Hopefully they’ve gotten some better video producers by now, with all the credits they’ve made.

**#3: Diasporan “Peace” Videos, Featuring The Late Candidate Addax**

A fun thing to try to do is make war propaganda about a giant robot named Peace. It must not have been an easy task for the Hands of Grace marketing team or whoever the hell was involved in making these [ godawful disasters of videos](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7i574Em3IrI). I’ve already used my one free “but the guy in this trash movie is actually really hot” so I won’t say it about Addax, but let me just say: _damn_ . Anyways, back to the flaws. Like I said, they were trying to lean into the peaceful aspect of Peace, which really doesn’t sit well when you’re literally asking your citizens to go to war and die for you in the same sentence. Not to turn this jokey-joke article into a serious political discussion, but I do think it’s interesting the way this video reeks of the same kind of dissonance (between the message of peace and patriotism and the reality of the really awful war going on in the sector) that the Diaspora often accuses OriCon of using to ‘brainwash’ its citizens. The video is basically a mess of the usual war propaganda: “cool” space battles, Divines blowing up stuff and looking regal, shots of the Evil Apostolos Army, as well as Addax talking to the camera, asking you to “help your democracy in any way you can” so we can “once again achieve Peace”, and images of Peace shooting riggers in a way that I guess the editing team deemed “peaceful” enough. Honestly, who knows.

**#4: EarthHome Entertainment Presents: Peace and the Panther, The Story of Jace Rethal and Addax at Counterweight**

Okay, I am cheating a little bit with this one, because it only came out eight years ago, but it shaped my childhood in so many ways, from seeing it in the theater at the age of thirteen with a few of my friends, none of us really understanding the war that had only ended two years prior, to the banging soundtrack by Aria Joie that influenced my music taste for years to come. _Peace and the Panther_ is iconic for many reasons, one of which is the fact that it was the first OriCon (specifically EarthHome Entertainment) and Diaspora collaboration besides the joint war on Apostolos. However, either EarthHome forcibly took over the project or the Diaspora couldn’t get their act together enough to send a decent screenwriter over, and EarthHome made the entire movie pretty much about Jace Rethal. A quick analysis of the script, which is up on the EarthHome meshsite for only 5 picocredits, shows that Jace, played by the OriCon heartthrob Caleb Boulevard, has triple the amount of lines as Addax, played by the Diasporan actor Risky Standard. They reduce Addax’s part in the Counterweight affair so heavily that his death is only implied, compared to the famous and heart-wrenching Jace death scene containing Aria Joie’s only (good) ballad, “Heart of a Hero”, that makes me cry every damn time. And while EarthHome was gracious enough to give Addax and the other Diasporan roles to actual Diasporan actors, the Apostolosians were not as fortunate. Every Apostolosian seen in the movie is played by a non-Apostolosian in bad make-up and most of them look like a five year old was asked to draw some scales on their faces. However, apart from the historical inaccuracy and mild racism that’s pervasive through the whole film, not to mention the complete missed opportunity to make it a love story between Jace and Addax (like, c’mon it was already pretty damn far from historically accurate anyways, and they totally almost kissed in that one scene on the Seventh Sun. You know the one), it remains one of my favorites to this day, and I would recommend it as required watching for anyone who wants to understand the Golden War, not because it’s portrayed well, but because its messy portrayal explains the problems that led us to where we are today.

 

* * *

 

 **my candidate name is “fox”** @validitylinguistics  
@ all of my apostolosian mutuals: stay safe!! i’m not quite sure what’s going on but ily

 **The Centralia Herald** (✓) @centraliaherald  
Estranged Apostolosian Scion Kills Parent And Takes Over Throne [ bit.ly/dH7yFx ](http://.)

**earthhome princess** @principalchalice  
Alright, it’s time to talk about what’s going on on Apostolos and why it’s extremely important. THREAD.

 **hieron season 3 where** @hellavaral  
everyone yday: [has never heard of a “demarchy”]  
everyone today: Ah Yes, A Demarchy, Let Me Tell You All About This Fascinating System Of Government I Definitely Didn’t Look Up A Few Hours Ago

 **Del Costello** @delcost  
Lmao why is no one talking about this? #JaceRethalTruther [ http://conspiracysite.com/post/124352/centralia-woman-swears-she-saw-jace-rethal-in-crowd-at ](https://twitter.com/dancynrew/status/953493351487033344)

**calendar grey** @handsofgreyce  
          @delcost that blurry picture tho…. jace rethal, hero of oricon, the new cryptid

 **Nylon Market** (✓) @nylonmarket  
In case anyone wanted a succinct explanation as to what’s happening on Apostolos right now, I wrote an article about it for Spacevice:  http://spacevice.com/article/apostolos-the-demarchy-and-what-the-hell-is-going-on-up-there 

**fiery blacksmith** @nertwerm  
ok listen i know that this super isn’t the point but that sokrates guy…. is rly cute…. look at them??? [ pic.twitter.com/IwIqlPCZJU](https://www.google.com/search?q=socrates&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjonPXS_KDZAhWRt1kKHcy9AB0Q_AUICigB&biw=1280&bih=615)

[   
](https://www.google.com/search?q=socrates&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjonPXS_KDZAhWRt1kKHcy9AB0Q_AUICigB&biw=1280&bih=615)

* * *

 

   
**Meeting The Candidate of Integrity! Sokrates Talks Life As Royalty, Their Shocking Formation of the Demarchy, and Their Favourite Snack!**

_The middle child of the old Empire opens up for the first time, exclusively to Teen Glimmer’s Alayna Aphelion._

It’s definitely one of the more unusual assignments I’ve been sent on. Interviewing Candidates is old news at this point, but this is the first non-Diasporan Candidate on record, a former member of the Apostolosian royal family, and now the head of an entirely new galactic power. It would be enough to make even the most experienced journalist nervous.

The meeting takes place on their personal ship, a little way outside the atmosphere of Glimmer, which means I have just enough time to prepare myself on the journey. Sokrates is there to greet me, casually dressed in a loosely buttoned white shirt tucked into dark high-waisted trousers, with a few golden bangles to accessorise. It’s a simple but calculated look, avoiding any clear links to the multitude of political factions they must now pacify.

Sokrates is charming and open, with a dazzling, disarming smile that should be familiar from my research, but still manages to catch me off guard as they lead me through twisting corridors. The only flash of displeasure I see is when I automatically call them Enhydra, as many of our Diasporan press releases have done, and receive in return only a tight-lipped smile and a terse, though still polite, request not to do so again.

Integrity itself is quiet during our meeting, which is perhaps to be expected - it’s never been one of the more public Divines. But as someone who lived so much of their life in the public spotlight (before disappearing from the galactic stage for an entire decade), Sokrates themself is an easy interview, giving personal anecdotes and quotable soundbites as naturally as anything.

They can’t talk much about their work, of course, but it turns out that the middle child of Apostolos has a _lot_ to say.

_(Answers have been edited for clarity and brevity.)_

 

**How does it feel to suddenly have so much media attention on you?**

It’s familiar, you know? I can’t seem to get away from it all. I can’t tell if it’s more or less stressful than being an heir yet, but at least being a Candidate has smoothed over some awkwardness with the Diaspora. _[They chuckle.]_ Not all of it though.

**The formation of the Demarchy has shaken the galaxy to its core. Where do you hope to take it from here?**

Into the future. The Empire hurt a whole lot of people, because it focused only on itself. The Demarchy is for everyone, not just Apostolosians, and I’m going to make sure the whole galaxy knows it.

**As a new and radically different kind of Apokine, how does it feel looking back over your life as an heir to the Empire?**

It’s difficult, to put it lightly. I was never the best behaved kid, but I loved my family, and I loved our people, and I thought for so long that the Empire was what was good and right for the whole galaxy. And then I grew up.

There were protests and rumours, occasionally, and they were enough to give me pause, make me look into stuff a bit, enough to make me argue with my parents and with Euanthe. Then the Golden War happened and— well. I saw what was happening myself for once, and I realised what Apostolos’ legacy would be and how many people would be hurt and I couldn’t— I couldn’t let that happen.

To think of everything that I didn’t see when I was younger…It hurts. A lot.

**What do you think about the divided reaction to your Candidacy?**

It’s not something I love, but I understand why the Diasporan people are wary of a former Apostolosian heir. I hope people realise I’m not some kind of, I don’t know, spy or something. I’ve had enough of that over the years.

**What’s it like adjusting to life as a part of the Diaspora?**

Weird. I’m still kind of on the edges with Integrity and everything that’s going on, but it’s definitely different. I never imagined I would ever be a Candidate, but I just want to help. I can do that now, and I definitely think the Demarchy could learn a lot from the Diaspora in some things.

**How do you manage to stay looking so good all the time?**

Good genes! _[They wink, and laugh slightly.]_ Thank you, but I…I just try and look after myself, really. Have a good sleep schedule, exfoliate daily, and get as much natural sunlight as possible. And blueberries! I love blueberries, they’re great for you.

**Anything you miss about Apostolos now that you’re travelling so much?**

The seas. The food. _[A long pause.]_ My family.

 

* * *

 

**POWER SAVE MODE**

> Internal boot process initiated.

> Initializing liberty.exe…

> Loading…

> Initializing discovery.exe…

> Loading…

> System health check: normal.

> Memory test: normal.

> Liberty: online **.** Discovery: online **.  
**

> Verifying data…

> Synchronization in progress...

> Cross-system integration complete. Liberty and Discovery system online.

> Checking drives for errors caused by unexpected shutdown…

> No errors found.

 

_Welcome, Automated Dynamics Unit 227.  
_

 

> userquery “divine”

> Searching…

> 1,960,452,709,226 files found. New search?

> userquery “rigor”

> Searching…

> 1 file found. New search?

 

>rigor.dat file selected.

 

\------------

 

> Hardware coming online. External sensors activating. Mesh connection re-established.

> Time since last boot sequence: 4.3 standard weeks.

> Incoming call from: Candidate Ibex [High Priority: RIGHTEOUSNESS]. Accept?

> Dispatch relays linked. Live connection established.

_“Liberty. Discovery. It’s been-… I-… Jerboa-…”_

> Transmission lag: minimal.

 _“…Listen. All said, and there is a_ **_lot_ ** _to be said… It’s good to have you back.”_

_  
_

* * *

 

   
**Petrichor Automedia Releases New Aria Joie Album After Longest Hiatus Yet**

By Valiant Bohemia

     Everyone’s favorite JoyPark pop idol is back with her newest album, _Joy Through Service,_ produced by the newly merged company made up of EarthHome Entertainment and Snowtrak Synergies, Petrichor Automedia. While she has been touring occasionally, this album certainly comes at a time when the former megastar Aria Joie’s popularity has been waning due to less media exposure and the as of yet unproven rumor that she no longer attends any of her concerts in person, she only sends a holographic projection. It is suspected that Petrichor is using a new album of a known star in an attempt to boost their brand after this unexpected merge, as well as to give the public a taste of this new partnership. This Joie album is the most synthetic sounding yet, and includes a stronger bassline not previously seen in her work. These changes have caused many fans to distance themselves from _Joy Through Service_ , feeling it does not live up to her previous albums, while others have rallied behind the new style, applauding Joie in her ability to change up her sound.

     The message of the album is standard for Joie’s retinue: the glorious past, present, and future of OriCon, the beauty of our bountiful society, and the importance of the individual. There does seem to be a more heavy focus on veracity in your work and working hard to benefit yourself and fellow citizens, a theme that seems to be a major facet of Petrichor Automedia’s new brand. However, some fans have noticed that Joie has been releasing different songs noticeably lacking in those core OriCon messages on her spacesoundcloud. The prevailing theory is that these are outtakes, or possibly more personal songs that Joie does not want to perform in concert. It has been speculated that the most popular of these “secret menu songs” as some fans have taken to calling them, titled “June”, was written for a secret lover, who some are suspecting is Jamil Quartz-Noble, due to the fact that Joie was seen attempting to rescue Quartz-Noble from kidnappers only days before the song went up, and that the description of the song simply says “for J”. All that said, _Joy Through Service_ is an upbeat, fun album with a few very strong songs that we here at the Centralia Herald give a 7/10!

 

* * *

 

**September Secrets Revealed [NOT CLICKBAIT!!!]**

Hey guys! What’s up, it’s ya boy spaceilluminati666 with another conspiracy revealed, this time about the September Institute. Never heard of it? That’s because OriCon doesn’t want you to know about it. Before I tell you anymore, go ahead and smash that like button and subscribe to my channel if you don’t already to get all the latest scoops on the secret goings-on in the Golden Branch. My merch link is in the bio, no one’s bought anything from my store yet so it would be cool if you were the first.

Anyways, like I was saying, you know the planet September? And you know how like, nobody lives there and it’s super secret and shit? Well, that’s because they’re hiding an entire military operation there. I’ve spoken to like, a ton of the best sources on the mesh about this stuff and they’ve all told me a little bit of the story, which you won’t believe: It’s dinosaurs! They’re growing dinosaurs on September. How do I know this? Well, like I said, I’ve talked to a ton of experts. They’ve told me they’re doing some crazy wacko science on the planet, and a ton of people think they’ve stolen Kalliope tech to genetically engineer stuff, or maybe even stolen Divine tech from the Diaspora! I don’t know what divines have to do with dinosaurs though, so that one is a little far-fetched.

That’s all I’ve got right now so if ANYONE has more information, please comment down below, and make sure to tune in next time for my theory that Aria Joie died and was replaced by a hologram. And as always, infinite love.

Comment from spaceweedlord69: thats ridiculous lol

Comment from bornonthewrongplanet: …………….i used to like ur videos but u jumped the shark after the ‘candidate addax is still alive’ one

Comment from makonotlarry: that’s totally 100% accurate kid

Comment from weightweightdonttellme: when are u gonna write something abt maritime lapel???

 

* * *

 

_Addax,_

_Please sort this out. Agent Quartz-Noble says it’s your turn._

_Mason_

Attached Files: trigcomplaint4.spdf

 

**RE Employee Complaint Form**

Internal Usage Only 

_Should you have a complaint or concern, or experience any problem caused by the behaviour of another employee, we encourage you to report the incident to our Department of Human Resources. We take all reports very seriously and aim to create a welcoming working environment for all of our agents._

**_IMPORTANT:_ ** _As these forms, by their very nature, contain classified information, we ask that you do not create multiple copies for your own usage. Please be considerate of the high levels of secrecy that we must uphold, even when submitting a complaint._

 

**Complainant Details**

**First Name(s):** Ligeia Helenius

 **Last Name(s):** Astraios

 **Employee ID#:** AP47-9045

 **Name(s) of the person(s) against whom the complaint is being made:** Mako Trig and _[edited 12 times, latest version]_ associates.

 **Nature of the allegation:** Mr. Trig and his _[edited 4 times, latest version]_ coworkers have, on multiple occasions, acted in ways that I feel were inappropriate and that conflict with the goals of the Rapid Evening. Over the course of the mission that I was assigned to assist the group, I was repeatedly distracted from surveillance and information-gathering work. Mr. Ted attempted to promote his own businesses to both sources and members of the public as we worked, drawing undue attention to our activities, which of course puts the mission, and indeed our entire organization at risk. Indeed, I myself have somehow apparently bought a new printer which I have been assured is “top quality” but also find myself missing credits. I have no recollection of this transaction and am extremely worried that Mr. Ted may be manipulating others through some kind of technological memory editor, which is exactly the kind of thing that the Rapid Evening should be keeping out of the hands of _[left intentionally blank]_

 **Effect on the person filing the complaint:** I am now incredibly concerned that this organisation lets such unprofessional agents run amok without rigid supervision and direction. As an experienced and respected fieldwork agent myself, I recommend that at the very least, Mr. Trig’s multiple clones be trained and dispersed instead of acting in a group, and that Mr. Ted be fired and wiped with immediate effect.

I have also lost credits.

 **Any other relevant information:** I’m including a request for reimbursement for the printer and one application for planet transfer.

 

* * *

 

 **The Garden Gazette** (✓) @gardengazette  
Kobus Resigns as Candidate of Loyalty [ bit.ly/xQsyH ](http://.)

**candidate of procrastination** @relatablegirl  
who can u trust when the candidate of loyalty isn’t even loyal lol

 **Nylon Market** (✓) @nylonmarket  
Read my new piece about former candidate Kobus and what their resignation means for the Hands of Grace, the Righteous Vanguard, and the Golden Branch Sector as a whole! [ http://spacevice.com/article/loss-of-loyalty-kobus-and-the-golden-branch   
](.)

**#addaxwasright** @devoted_fortress  
kobus autonomousdiaspora……………….. welcome to the resistance……………..

 **Iridescent Platinum** (✓) @platinumnotgold  
Why Kobus Resigning As Candidate Is The Most Important Thing To Happen To Our Democracy In 70 Years [ bit.ly/sD4jk  ](http://.)

**FUCK ORICON** @diasporan4ever  
          @platinumnotgold actually fuck them, abandoning their fucking cause……………….. good RIDDANCE!

 **Hadrian Did Nothing Wrong** @eternalprinces  
for real tho, can we not harass kobus? they’re just a kid, and we tend to forget that wrt candidates  
  
**HIERON SEASON 3 CONFIRMED!!!** @hellavaral  
          @eternalprinces honestly, ppl are so gross sometimes… i’m glad they made a choice to preserve their mental health, i hope they’re doing ok

   
**my candidate name is “fox”** @validitylinguistics  
this thinkpiece about kobus’ resignation is actually pretty interesting [ http://vox.com/politics/kobus-candidates-and-why-we-need-them-to-be-older ](.)

**The Diasporan** (✓) @the_diasporan  
Should Candidates Be Allowed To Resign? We Talked To One Garden Man Who Thinks No [ bit.ly/sRjkU ](http://.)

**#1 june stan** @odetojoie  
“they were too young to decide to resign candidacy” say the ppl who thought they definitely were old enough to decide to be a candidate @ age 7

 

* * *

 

_[A small green orb that resembles a polished decorative gemstone, small enough to fit comfortably in the hand of a child. Oddly light, when placed in an appropriate, brand compatible mesh cradle it flickers to life and projects a hologram that displays the following message for thirty seconds in any 24 hour period, unless, of course, you have the Premium service - only 15 picocredits per month!]_

You are cordially requested at the Annual Counterweight Costume Ball.

The premier annual event on Counterweight, this year raising money for the corporations bravely preparing for the fight against Rigor! Come and dance and show your support to the brands that really need it, and get _exclusive_ access to secret upcoming products and services for the upcoming financial year from the Minerva Strategic Alliance.

Friday 23rd March, 7pm, The Adoration Ballroom in Minerva Gardens, Centralia

**Noted Celebrity Guests:**

☆ The Divine Grace

☆ Candidate Joie of the Righteous Vanguard

☆ Apokine Cassander Timaeus Berenice of the Golden Branch Demarchy

☆ …and many more!

Only 5 credits for personal* access to the most celebrated event on Counterweight! Don’t delay - places are limited.

 

* * *

  
   
****

**Elected Apokine of the Golden Branch Demarchy, Cassander Timaeus Berenice - obituary**

_Amber Romance, Political Editor  
_

     Of everything the Apostolosian Empire ever produced, it is likely that the Golden Branch will remember the last descendants of the royal family for the longest, and none more so than Cassander Timaeus Berenice.

     A controversial figure throughout the galaxy, in life and now, in death, they grew up in the capital city of Ireneus, the youngest child of the royal family. Multiple interviews from those times paint Cassander as an intense, but relatively quiet child, with neither the brash, performative personality of the eldest, Euanthe, nor the rebellious streak of Sokrates.

     Evidently never expecting to be called for public service as ruler of Apostolos, they mostly eschewed their political education in favour of more practical work, eventually enlisting in the military, following in the footsteps of Sokrates, who they seemed to enjoy the closest familial relationship with. Short propaganda films heavily featuring both siblings were commonplace, and were apparently remarkably successful in driving recruitment rates for the military. Indeed, it’s thought that the rising numbers of soldiers was a factor in the Empire deciding to launch their attacks on the rest of the Golden Branch.

     When the war did officially break out, Cassander broke with tradition and joined the Apostolosian medical unit, the Iatrokos Corp. By all accounts, their military career from there was a success, despite the constant troubles that plagued them throughout the war - from the unexpected hospitalisation of the heir to the throne, to the constant, driving losses the Empire faced once OriCon and the Diaspora united, and then, of course, Sokrates’ unexpected betrayal.

     A single interview took place shortly after Sokrates turned traitor to the Apostolosian Empire, of which footage is still easily accessible on the mesh. Set in the corner of a cramped Iatric facility, medical tools still crusted with blood are just about visible in the background as the interviewer picks their way awkwardly through the mess towards the scion. Unwilling to leave their post even for a moment, Cassander is visibly exhausted and desperately angry, their sentences short and brutally to the point. Despite eventually reconnecting many years later, it’s clear that Cassander never quite forgave Sokrates for abandoning them during the war.

     When it was all over, and with their own sibling having played a vital role in the downfall of the Apostolosian Empire, Cassander withdrew from the public limelight for years. Later in life, they spoke of it frankly: with Euanthe’s miraculous recovery putting them back in place to take over Apostolos, Cassander was strongly encouraged by their parents to leave Apostolosian space, an exile in all but name.

     And so, unable to find legitimate employment as former royalty of the hated Empire in the rest of the Golden Branch, they turned to criminal work to survive, working as a tactician and a medic for various groups on Counterweight before eventually becoming part of the now-famous criminal enterprise, the Chime.

     Along with the other members of the outfit, they initially took jobs just to make enough money to make ends meet, before eventually being pulled into a series of events that led to the fabled September Incident. The massive changes the sector went through in the weeks following then saw Cassander go back into politics once more, as they reunited with and then succeeded their sibling Sokrates as leader of the newly formed Golden Branch Demarchy in what was seen by critics as obvious nepotism, and further proof that the Demarchy was simply a rebranded Apostolosian Empire.

     Ignoring the controversy with the famed Pelagios stubbornness, Cassander led the Demarchy as Apokine through one political storm after another, with multiple controversial reforms that weren’t always welcomed by the Demarchy’s original founder.

     Their last act, during the terrible war against the Divine Rigor, where they sacrificed themself to personally drive Rigor into a permanent death at the heart of a sun, cements them a place in history, certainly. In the last few days, however, evidence has come to light of Cassander abusing their power as Apokine to enhance their own standing within the society. It’s certainly true that Cassander’s term as ruler lasted much longer than Sokrates’, which at the time was justified as necessary to avoid complications during the war versus Rigor, reasoning that is now heavily in doubt. While it hasn’t yet been officially analysed and verified, it paints a morally complicated picture of someone that could otherwise be considered one of the greatest heroes the galaxy has ever known.

     Despite tabloid rumours linking Cassander to a multitude of lovers over the years (including former Chime colleague Mako Trig, and more recently, Maxine Ming, a princess from the famously insular Principality of Kesh), officially, they died without a romantic partner or heirs.

     The fact that all three remaining members of the Empire’s ruling family died in the final days of the battle against Rigor is poetic justice, perhaps. The shadow of Apostolos’ history of conquest stretches far, but the end of House Pelagios could signal a truly fresh start for the Golden Branch Demarchy.

_Cassander Timaeus Berenice, of the now extinct House Pelagios: born in Ireneus, Apostolos, 12th September I#15,937; died 21st August I#15,983._

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* * *

 

 

**Hero of OriCon Jace Rethal Is Alive! And You Won’t Believe What He Wants to Do Now**

That’s right, only a few days ago, Jace Rethal, the dreamy Golden War hero we all know and love and thought was long-dead, announced that he’s been alive this whole time! He apparently was stuck in some [ crazy memory den](http://.) for ten years and spent the next five doing some [ stuff he won’t talk about](https://twitter.com/makotrig/status/969207012126052353). Some sources even tell us he helped in the fight against Rigor, and we believe it! Our Jace is a true hero, saving the world even when the world thought he was six feet under.

Despite his incredible war record and fame, Jace’s new goal is…

[Read The Rest Of The Story]

...going back to school! That’s right, our favorite rigger pilot is headed back to college, to study… well, we’re not quite sure. Maybe philosophy, maybe biological theory, maybe creative writing. He hasn’t been very clear, but I think I speak for everyone when I say that we’re all very excited to see how his adventures in school go for him!

One more thing about Jace, we’ve seen [ some pictures](http://.) of him now that he’s gone public, and is [ that](http://.) a ring?!? It sure looks like Jace Rethal is wearing an engagement ring or a wedding band right now. We just wonder who the lucky person is, because [ he sure isn’t spilling the beans](http://.). Best of luck to Jace and his future spouse, whoever they may be!

 

* * *

 

Excerpts from the Film A Rigorous Journey: The Story of the Final Days of the First Divine

VOICEOVER: To understand Rigor’s impact on the Golden Branch Star Sector, we first must go to the first person to study its presence in the modern day, the Diasporan drone engineer Cene Sixheart.

[INT: Cene Sixheart’s labratory on Counterweight, an organized clutter of various experiments and monitors]

INTERVIEWER: From my understanding, you were kidnapped by the OriCon sympathizing mercenary group known as the Weightless, is that correct?

SIXHEART: Yes, I was in an advanced showing of the first BluSky Dome- pretty exciting stuff- and then all of a sudden, these Rooks burst in, ruining years of my colleague’s work, and completely destroying the place!

INTERVIEWER: And you were taken to a Snowtrak facility?

SIXHEART: [Nods] They sat me down in front of these huge screens filled with data. I had no idea what I was even supposed to be looking at, they must have thought I was in the field of divines when I clearly am not. [They laugh.] But I knew enough about divines even then to know that thing was dangerous. I don’t know what it did to me, looking at that data, but if [They pause.] if the late Scion Cassander, and the rest of the Chime, hadn’t been there to help me, I have no idea what it would have done to me.

INTERVIEWER: You were close with the members of the Chime?

SIXHEART: Yes, I helped Audy, or, um, Liberty and Discovery, back when they first gained sentience. [They laugh.] Like I said, I’m not trained in recognizing divines.

INTERVIEWER: Thank you so much for sharing your story, Mx. Sixheart.

SIXHEART: Thank you for having me.

 

VOICEOVER: Next we go to the home of Aria Joie, the EarthHome pop idol turned smuggler turned revolutionary, who fought Rigor close up while leading the Righteous Vanguard.

[INT: Aria Joie’s house in Centralia, a purple-hued room with a few things hanging on the walls, one framed picture of the Chime and one of her and Jacqui, as well as a vintage-looking Aria Joie poster]

INTERVIEWER: So, Aria, you’ve been many things in your life.

JOIE: [She smiles] I sure have. I’m really fortunate that I’ve gotten to impact the people of the Golden Branch’s lives in so many ways.

INTERVIEWER: Now, you were a key player in the fight against Rigor, both on September and in the final battle. Tell us a little bit about what that was like.

JOIE: [She sighs.] Well, that’s a hell of a question. I wish I could tell you that it was exciting, or that I knew the whole time that we could beat it, but I don’t think anyone would believe that for a second. It was really, really scary. I lost a lot of people. We all did.

INTERVIEWER: I’m so deeply sorry, Aria. Now, at the time you and your former comrade, Apokine Cassander Berenice, were political enemies, but did you keep in contact with them at all? Did you know they were going to sacrifice themself on September?

JOIE: [Shifts in seat.] I- I’m sorry I don’t really feel comfortable doing this interview anymore. It’s not your fault I just, I’m sorry, I can’t.

 

VOICEOVER: Now, this next person we have was hard to find. And by that, I mean we didn’t find him. He found us. Here’s footage from the day that Mako Trig came to our studio.

[INT: A small interview room on Counterweight, with some cameras and filming equipment placed around two chairs that are in the middle of the room.]

TRIG [off-camera]: Hello? Is anybody there? I heard you’re making a movie!

[Sound of someone opening a door off-screen, Mako Trig enters, hovering on his Ring of Saturn and sits down on one of the chairs.]

TRIG: I hear you’re making a movie about Rigor. [He smiles.] Well, you’re in luck. ‘Cuz I’m the best piece of info you’ve got.

CAMERAMAN: Excuse me, sir, who are y-

TRIG: Listen, it’ll only be a few minutes, okay? I’ve got a lot of work to do today. [He pauses.] Well, if no one’s gonna come interview me I’ll just do it myself. Hey Mako, what was Rigor like? Rigor was fucked up. I fought him twice, and I’ve still g- I’ve still got some scars, and shit. But I’m getting rid of him. I’m getting rid of Rigor tech so don’t even worry about it. Wow Mako, How are you doing that? Can’t tell, it’s a secret. Alright, that’s all I have time for, I’ve got shit to do, okay?

[Mako steps back on his Ring of Saturn and hovers out the door]

 

[Videos of different landscapes and cityscapes from different planets in the Golden Branch, from the densely packed bustling cities of Counterweight to the icy plains of Ionius and the brilliant yearly fireworks on Kalliope]

VOICEOVER: The fight against Rigor was a hard one that affected countless lives here in the Golden Branch Star Sector. But it was also one that brought together warring factions and foes to fight a common enemy. We saw an Apokine, a regent, an executive and dozens of candidates risking and sacrificing their lives for the promise of a brighter future. It was a fight that made us all realize that we, as a people scattered across the stars, are not citizens of a planet or an empire, but citizens of the Golden Branch. And when we unite, as individual people working towards a common goal, we can take down anything. Nothing can destroy us. And that is a lesson we must take with us into the future if we’re going to survive.

**Author's Note:**

> Kaynara, @sokratesnikon on twitter: Jamil’s report, Sokrates’ interview, L+D boot files, RE complaint form, ball invitation, Cassander’s obituary.
> 
> rib14, @jaceaddax on twitter: Addax’s Weightless report, Golden War propaganda list, all the space Twitter lists, “Aria’s” new album review, September conspiracy theorist, Jace’s announcement, A Rigorous Journey.


End file.
